Bulwark Takes

Ben Parker is joined by Derek Owen and R.M Schneiderman to discuss their deeply reported investigation into how the FBI rebuilt its counterintelligence capabilities after decades of failure—and how Trump-world politics, Kash Patel, and shifting priorities could put America at risk. Read more from Owen and Schneiderman here: https://www.thebulwark.com/p/fbi-spent-generation-relearning-catch-spies-kash-patel-counter-intelligence-espionage-tulsi-gabbard-china

Sam Stein and Jared Poland give their takes on a curious White House claim. After repeated questions about Donald Trump’s bruised hand, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said it was caused by constant handshaking and aspirin use. So we decided to test it.

A holiday classic, Bulwark-style. From foreign jets to fake honors, we rewrote The 12 Days of Christmas to keep track of Trump’s greatest hits in 2025. The 12 Days of Grift-mas, annotated: 1 giant Qatari jet: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy5lp4v594o 2 peace awards: FIFA Peace Prize (https://www.thebulwark.com/p/screw-it-lets-rename-the-moon-trump-institute-of-peace-kennedy-center-coin-epsitein-files) and the Nixon Foundation Architect of Peace Award (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-architect-of-peace-award-nixon-foundation/) 3 Olympic medals: from the LA Olympic Committee (https://www.whitehouse.gov/videos/president-trump-has-been-awarded-a-full-set-of-1984-olympic-medals-%F0%9F%8F%85%F0%9F%87%BA%F0%9F%87%B8/) 4 Four Rush-Hour films:  Recently promised by Paramount, which wants Trump to approve a merger with Warner Bros. Discovery (https://www.thebulwark.com/p/jackie-chan-sequel-rush-hour-4-says-whole-lot-trump-economy) 5 golden trophies: A golden plaque from Apple (https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/08/07/tim-cook-trump-gift/85555805007/), a golden pager from Netanyahu (https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/06/middleeast/netanyahu-trump-golden-pager-intl/index.html), the FIFA Club World Cup trophy (https://people.com/trump-pockets-fifa-medal-club-world-cup-11774149), World Boxing Council BC boxing belt from Ukraine (https://www.si.com/fannation/boxing/ukraine-president-zelensky-boxing-gift-that-didnt-land-with-trump), and a golden crown from South Korea (https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/world/asia/trump-south-korea-crown-gyeongju.html) 6 golfing wins: At his own clubs, naturally (https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/2025/08/05/donald-trump-golf-tournament-championship/85516763007) 7 pretty portraits: Saudi (https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-insane-gifts-saudi-arabia-gave-president-trump/), El Salvador (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/21/world/americas/trump-painting-missing.html), 2 from Russia (https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/22/style/russian-artist-trump-portrait-putin-intl and https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/22/us/politics/trump-putin-photo.html), Australia (https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-gifted-least-3-portraits-himself-foreign-leaders-2019-1616322), Egypt (https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-gifted-least-3-portraits-himself-foreign-leaders-2019-1616322), Vietnam (https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-gifted-least-3-portraits-himself-foreign-leaders-2019-1616322?utm_source) 8 foreign honors: Georgia, Saudi Arabia, Kosovo, Morocco, UAE, Egypt, Israel, South Korea (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awards_and_honors_received_by_Donald_Trump#International) 9 postage stamps: From Poland (https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/democrats-oversight.house.gov/files/Foreign%20Gifts%20Appendix%20I%20-%20Trump.pdf) 10 Epstein years: “I was Donald’s closest friend for 10 years” - Jeffrey Epstein (https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU08/20250227/117951/HHRG-119-JU08-20250227-SD006-U6.pdf) 11 Nobel noms – Argentinian President Javier Millei, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, U.S. Representative Buddy Carter, U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, Malta foreign minister, U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, Pakistan, U.S. Rep Claudia Tenney, U.S. Rep. Bernie Moreno, Rwanda’s foreign minister 12 diet cokes: Trump reportedly drinks about a dozen per day (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/09/us/politics/donald-trump-president.html) Merry Christmas!

Donald Trump’s first year back in office is in the books, but how accurate were The Bulwark predictions from this past year? Sam Stein is joined by “Judge” Mona Charen to put our 2025 forecasts under the gavel. From Trump’s health and pardons to government shutdowns, MAGA infighting, and political chaos, we revisit what we got right, what we got wrong, and what only deserved half a point.

While most Americans were with family, Trump spent the night before Christmas Eve rage-posting threats at TV networks he doesn’t like. Tim Miller was on MS NOW Reports to disuss. Watch MS NOW Reports: https://www.ms.now